Sexual health clinic

San Francisco City Clinic, a STD testing center in San Francisco.

Sexual health clinics specialize in the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.

Sexual health clinics provide only some reproductive health services. Few clinics perform abortions or offer birth control other than condoms.

Terminology

Sexual health clinics are also called sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics, sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics, venereal disease (VD) clinics, or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics.

Sexual health clinics differ from reproductive health and family planning clinics. Sexual health clinics offer only some reproductive health services. Reproductive health clinics, such as Planned Parenthood, offer most of the services of sexual health clinics.

Services

Sexual health clinics provide some or all of the following:

• Information about safer sex, birth control, reproductive health and general sex education
• Condoms
• Sexual health examinations
• Tests to detect some sexually transmitted infections
• Antibiotics to cure chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis
• Medications and other treatments
• Vaccinations
• Counseling and education
• Emergency contraception
• Urine test for pregnancy
• Referrals for additional information or services

Many clinics provide vaccinations to prevent infections from the hepatitis A and B viruses.^[1] Young women may receive vaccinations to prevent infection from some strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Many clinics provide interpreting for the hearing impaired or speakers of other languages.

Many clinics will help patients tell their sexual contacts if they have a sexually transmitted infection, anonymously if needed.^[2]

Public governmental and non-profit clinics often provide services for free or adjust the fee based on a patient's ability to pay.

Sexual health clinics often offer services without appointments. Some clinics open evenings or weekends.

Some clinics have separate hours or facilities for men and women. Some clinics serve only specific populations such as women, men, MSM, youths, LGBT, ethnic groups, the poor, or students.

Examinations

With the patient's consent, a clinician will inspect the patient visually and by touch. If needed, the clinician will take samples to test for sexually transmitted infections.

In a private room or space, the patient will partially undress.

The clinician may inspect the patient's:

• Throat and lymph nodes of the neck for inflammation
• Pubic hair for lice
• Lymph nodes of the groin for swelling
• Genitals, anus, and surrounding areas for sores and warts

The clinician may swab the patient's:

• Throat to test for gonorrhea and possibly chlamydia
• Cheek, inside, to test for HIV
• Sores of the genitals, anus, and surrounding areas to test for herpes^[3][4]
• Urethra to test for gonorrhea and possibly chlamydia
• Vagina to test for chlamydia and possibly gonorrhea
• Cervix to test for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (a Pap test)
• Rectum to test for gonorrhea and possibly chlamydia

The clinician may take small blood samples by pricking a finger or from a vein^[5] to test for HIV, syphilis, and possibly herpes^[6] and hepatitis C.^[7][8][9]

The clinician may ask for a small urine sample, given in private, to test for chlamydia and possibly gonorrhea.

The inspections and taking samples don't hurt, but swabbing the urethra and cervix, and a finger prick blood sample feel uncomfortable.

Women will often receive a pelvic exam, both external and internal, but usually less thorough than a reproductive health exam.

A patient can choose a female or male clinician if available. A patient can have a chaperone. Some clinics have separate hours or facilities for men and women.

Privacy

Sexual health clinics follow local standards of medical confidentiality to protect the privacy of patients. Some clinics provide anonymous services or protect confidentially by having a patient use a code name, a number, or a false name.^[10]

Additional privacy protections sometimes apply to matters of sexuality and reproduction, since these areas are sensitive in many cultures.

In the United States, clinics receiving federal funding from Medicaid or Title X of the Public Health Service Act must treat all patients confidentially. Thus minors can receive services without parental notification or consent.^[11][12][13]

Consent

Medical standards of informed consent apply to sexual health clinics. A patient needs information about the purposes and consequences of examinations, tests, treatments, and other procedures. A patient may then choose whether to consent to these procedures.

A minor may consent to receive some or all of the procedures at many sexual health clinics.

References

External links

• "inSPOT". Internet Sexuality Information Services. Retrieved 2008-08-31. "Find local testing resources" 

United States

• "National HIV and STD Testing Resources". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Retrieved 2008-08-31. "Find a Testing Site Near You" 
• "Health Center Search Results". Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Retrieved 2008-08-31. "Find a Health Center" 
• "Health Center Directory". National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association. Retrieved 2008-08-31. "Search for a health center near you" 

• "US STD Care locations". STD Support Group. Retrieved 2012-11-27. "Find a STD Care Location Near You" 

United Kingdom

• "BASHH Clinics". British Association for Sexual Health and HIV. Retrieved 2008-09-28. "Find your nearest clinic" 
• "Find a clinic". Family Planning Association. Retrieved 2008-09-28. 
• "Genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics". Terrence Higgins Trust. Retrieved 2008-09-28. "Find your nearest clinic"  also "Fastest". Terrence Higgins Trust. Retrieved 2008-09-28. "Find your nearest Fastest centre" 
• "Find help in your area". RU Thinking site?. Retrieved 2008-09-28. "Find your nearest STI clinic" 
• "Go to Brook". Brook Advisory Centres. Retrieved 2008-09-28. "Find a centre" 
• "Find services - Sexual health". National Health Service. Retrieved 2008-09-26.  (England)
• "Clinic List". Willy Nilly. Retrieved 2008-09-26. "Contraception and Sexual Health Clinics"  (Wales)